Scriber



May 16, 1939.

i F. J. ZIMOWSKE SCRIBER Filed Oct. so, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 16,1939. F. J. zlMowsKEz SGRIBER vFiled Oct. 30, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented May 16, 1939 SORIBER.

Fred J. Zimowske, Mio, Mich.

Application October 30,

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a scriber and more particularly to aninstrument of this type used for marking logs which are to have portionsinterfitted with each other when building a log cabin or similarstructure.

When building a log cabin, it is necessary that end portions of the logshave interfitting engagement with each other at corners of the buildingso that they will be interlocked and the logs forming intersecting wallsprevented from moving out of their proper relation to each other. It isalso necessary to provide an interlocking connection between the raftersand the plate log along upper edges of the walls so that the rafterswill be braced and prevented from slipping out of proper engagement withthe plate log.

Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a scriber, by meansof which overlapping portions of logs may be marked and recesses outwhich will accurately receive portions of intersecting logs. It willthus be seen that the logs may be so out that a recess formed thereinwill accurately conform to the outline of a portion of a log to bereceived therein and close fitting interlocking engagement establishedbetween the intersecting logs.

Another object of the invention is to so form the scriber that an armcarrying a pencil or equivalent marker may be adjusted to dispose it ata predetermined height above the lower end of a fixed leg of the scriberaccording to the diameter of the log which is to be cut and thus arecess of the proper depth assured.

It is another object of the invention to provide the scriber with a headcarrying a level and thus permit the operator to at all times maintainthe scriber in its proper angular position for marking a log.

Another object of the invention is to so mount the head carrying thelevel that it may be angularly adjusted with its neck pivoted to thebody portion of the scriber and disposed either parallel to the sideface of the blade or at right angles thereto in a position either beyondthe upper end of the blade or substantially parallel to a side edge ofthe blade.

It is another object of the invention to provide a scriber wherein thelevel is carried by a mounting disk pivoted to the adjustable head insuch a manner that it may be turned about an axis to an adjustedposition.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a view in elevation showing the scriber in use,

1937, Serial No. 171,997

Figure 2 is a view in elevation looking from the right of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the scriber,

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5--5 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a view looking down upon the level and the disk carrying thesame.

This improved scriber has a body in the form of a blade I which is cutfrom sheet metal of sufficient thickness to impart rigidity to theblade. The'lower portion of the blade extends diagonally and forms a leg2 which is tapered towards its lower or free end and at its lower end isbeveled,

as shown at 3, to provide a marginal edge or surface extending at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the blade. An upper corner portion ofthe blade at the opposite side thereof from the leg is formed arcuate,as shown at 4, and intermediate the length of this arcuate edge theblade is formed with a recess 5 which extends radially of the arcuateedge but terminates in spaced relation to an opening formed through theblade to receive a bolt 6. The arcuate edge or corner portion 4 isconcentric to the opening through which the bolt extends, as clearlyshown in Figure 3. There has also been provided a slot 1 which extendslongitudinally of the blade adjacent to but spaced from the side edge ofthe blade at the opposite sides thereof from the arcuate corner portion,and attention is called to the fact that the lower end of this slotterminates adjacent the upper end of the leg 2.

The scriber includes as one of its elements a marker 8 which may be apencil or a scoring device formed of hard steel. This marker is carriedby a tubular arm 9 formed with a longitudinally extending slot II] inits under portion and with a shorter slot I I leading from the rear endof its upper portion. Wings I2 extend downwardly at a rearward inclinefrom the lower portion of the tubular arm at opposite sides of the lowerslot II] for engagement with opposite side faces of the blade I wherethey are secured by a bolt I3 which passes through the slot 1 andcarries a wing nut I4. It will thus be seen that ,the arm may be shiftedlongitudinally of the blade and also turned about the bolt I3 from aposition in which the arm and marker extend longitudinally of the bladeto a position in which they extend transversely from the same. When thetubular arm is disposed transversely of the blade, a portion of theblade fits into the upper slot H, and when the tube is disposedlongitudinally of the blade, a portion of the blade engages in the slotI 0. Therefore, the marker may be disposed close against the bladelongitudinally thereof when not in use where it will be out of the way.This position of the marker close to the blade also prevents likelihoodof the point of the pencil being accidentally broken or the pointed endof a metal marker being accidentally bent or snapped off.

At the upper end of the blade there is disposed a bracket l5 formed ofsheet metal, the blank from which the bracket is formed being moldedintermediate its length to provide leaves l6 connected by leaves I!through which a pivot pin passes. The leaves straddle the upper portionof the blade and adjacent their inner or lower ends are formed withalined openings which register with the openings through which the bolt6 passes. Therefore, when the bolt is passed through the registeringopenings of the wings l6 and the blade, the bracket will be pivotallyconnected with the upper portion of the blade and may be swung from aposition in which it extends longitudinally of the blade, as shown infull lines in Figure 3, to a position transversely of the blade, asindicated by dotted lines in this figure. The fact that the blade isformed with the arcuate upper corner portions permits the bracket tohave this swinging movement. Recesses [9 which are in opposed relationto each other are formed in the upper portion of the bracket and areadapted to register with the recess or slot 5 when the bracket is turnedabout the bolt 6 to a diagonally extending position midway between thedotted line position and the full line position of Figure 3.

The head or disk 20 is formed of stiff sheet metal and carries a bearingbracket 2| which is secured against its under face by rivets 22. Thisbearing bracket is formed with depending hinge ears 23 and betweenthehinge ears is located a block 24 which loosely passes through theopposed slot IQ of the bearing bracket I5. The lower portion of thisblock is of semi-circular outline, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, and atopposite sides of this semi-circular lower portion 24 there have beenformed slots 25 and 26, another slot 21 being formed intermediate thewidth of the semi-circular lower portion; All of the slots 25, 26 and2'! extend radially of the semi-circular lower portion which isconcentric to the pin or rod I8, and when the head is turned to aposition in which it extends diagonally of the blade with the slot IQ ofthe bearing bracket in registry with the slot 5 of the blade, the headmay be turned about the pin l8 into position to dispose a selected oneof the slots 25, 26 or 21 in registry with the registering slots of theblade and bearing bracket. The head may then be moved to a positiondisposing it beyond the upper end of the blade or at a side thereof andsince a portion of the blade will be passed through the selected slot ofthe block 24 the head will be secured in a set position and extendeither transversely of the blade, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, or ina plane parallel to a-selected side face of the blade according to whichposition will be most convenient to the person using the scriber.

The scriber should be maintained in a predetermined angular positionwhen in use, such as the perpendicular position shown in Figures 1 and2, and in order to do so, there has been provided a level 28 consistingof a bubble glass 29 which extends diametrically across a mounting disk30 and has its ends seated in pockets 3| carried by the disk. This diskrests upon the central portion of a mounting disk 32 where it is securedby rivets 33. Marginal portions of the mounting disk extend downwardlyat an incline to dispose the peripheral edge of the mounting disk inclose contacting engagement with the circular plate 20 and degreemarkings are provided upon the downwardly extending portion of themounting disk, as shown in Figure 6, so that, when the mounting disk isturned about the pivot pin 34 which holds it in operative engagementwith the plate 20, the extent to which the mounting disk has been turnedrelative to the lug or extension 20 of the disk 20 can be ascertained.It will thus be seen that the mounting disk constitutes a dial which isconcentric to the plate 30 and that the level 28 extends diametricallyof the dial. The level not only serves its purpose as a level but alsoconstitutes a finger hold, by means of which the dial or mounting diskcan be turned about the pivot 34 to an adjusted position when using thedevice.

When this device is in use, it may be used for marking logs at cornersof a building or for marking other logs, such as roofing rafters or thelogs forming a partition, which should have its ends interlocked withlogs of a wall. In Figures 1 and 2, the scriber has been shown inuse formarking intersecting logs at the corner of a building. Referring tothese figures, it will be seen that the log 35 has already beeninterlocked with the log 36 and the log 31 is to be recessed so that itcan have interlocking engagement with the log 35. In order to do so, thelog 31 must be formed with a recess to receive the upper portion of thelog 35, and this recess should beso formed that it will snugly receivethe upper por tion of the log 35 and thus-cause the two logs to fitproperly in interlocking engagement with each other and prevent movementof the logs relative to each other. In order that a recess may beproperly out in the log 31, this log is set in place across the log 35and the scriber then disposed in an upright position upon the upperportion of the log 35. The arm 9 carrying the marker 8 is swung to ahorizontal position and shifted upwardly to such a height that it isapproximately halfway the thickness of the log 31 and the winged nut I4then tightened so thatthe marker will be firmly secured in the setposition.- The plate 2!! is preferably disposed over the upper end ofthe plate I when the scriber is in use, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, butit will be understood that it may be swung downwardly to the positionindicated by dottedlines in Figure 3 or it may be turned to a positiontowards the right or'left in Figure 4 according to which position willmake it most convenient for the operator to see the dial 32 and thelevel 28. The dial will be turned to aposition in which the bubble inthe glass 29 will be centrally located and this willv make it easy tomaintain the scriber in the upright position. The scriber is then movedacross the log 35 while still held in the upright position and, as itmoves across the log 35 and downwardlyalong the same, the marker 8 willform a pencil mark or scratch upon the log 31 which will substantiallyexactly follow the outline of thelog 35. After the scriber has beenmoved from the upper portion of the log 35 to a position atone sidethereof as indicated by dotted lines in .Figure 2, it will be returnedto the original position shown in full lines in this figure and'movedtoward the other side of the log 35. Therefore, the 510g 31 will bemarked in conformity to the outline of the projecting upper portion ofthe log 35. The

scriber will then be transverse to the other side of the log 37 and thelog 3'! again marked. Therefore, if the log 35 tapers somewhat insteadof the log 35 and a close interlocking fit will be established betweenthe logs 35 and 31. Other intersecting logs of a building will besimilarly marked, such as by placing rafters or roofing logs in theirproper position and then marking their end portions to form recesses toreceive portions of a ridge pole and the plate log of the walls of a.

building. If it is desired to providespacings for the inner surfaces ofthe walls of a building, this can be easily done by marking marginalportions of wall boards which are to have contacting engagement with thelogs of the walls or partitions of the building.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A scriber comprising a blade formed with a longitudinally extendingslot in spaced parallel relation to one edge thereof, a leg extendingfrom the lower end of the blade and projecting from the said sideedge'of the blade at a downward incline, a tubular carrier having itsinner end portion straddling the blade and formed with wings engagingopposite side faces of the blade, a fastener extending through the wingsand through the slot of the blade and mounting the carrier for pivotaladjustment about the fastener and longitudinal adjustment relative tothe blade, a marker removably carried by said tubular carrier andprojecting from the outer end thereof, and means carried by said bladefor determining the angular position of the blade relative to a verticalposition.

2. A scriber comprising a blade, 2. leg extending from the lower end ofsaid blade at a downward incline from one side edge of the blade, amarker adjustable longitudinally of the blade and mounted for pivotalmovement into and out of position to extend transversely of the bladefrom the said side edge thereof, and means carried by the upper portionof the blade for determining the angular position of the blade relativeto a vertical position.

3. A scriber comprising a blade, a marker carried by said blade andadjustable longitudinally thereof, a bearing bracket pivoted to theupper portion of the blade and movable from a position longitudinally ofthe blade to a position transversely thereof, and means carried by saidhearing bracket for determining the angular position of the bladerelative to a vertical position when the marker is in use.

4. A scriber comprising a blade, a marker carried by said blade andadjustable relative thereto, a bearing bracket pivoted to the upperportion of the blade and movable from a position longitudinally of theblade to a position transversely thereof, a block pivotally carried bysaid bearing bracket, said block being formed with slots to receive theupper portion of the blade and the blade and bearing bracket beingformedv with slots adapted to register and permit turning 01 the blockto adjusted positions, a mounting carried by said block, and meanscarried by said mounting for ascertaining the angular position of theblade relative to a vertical position when the marker is in use.

5. A scriber comprising a blade, a marker carried by the blade andadjustable relative thereto, a bearing bracket straddling the upperportion of the blade and having wings engaging opposite side faces ofthe blade, a fastener passing through the blade and the leaves of saidbearing bracket to pivotally mount the bracket for movement from aposition longitudinally of the blade to a position transversely thereof,said blade being formed with a slot leading from an upper corner portionand the bearing bracket having its leaves formed with slots forregistering with the slot of the blade, a block pivotally carried bysaid bearing bracket and having a portion extending through the slots ofthe leaves, the block being of semi-circular outline and formed withslots spaced from each other circumferentially thereof, said block beingmovable through the slots of the blade and bearing bracket when theslots thereof are in registry to move a selected slot of the block intoposition to receive the upper portion of the blade and hold the block inan adjusted position when the bearing bracket is moved to one of thesaid positions of adjustment, a disk carried by said block at the outerend thereof, a dial pivoted to the disk, the disk having marginalportions projecting beyond the dial and formed with an indicator and thedial having gage markings about its periphery, and a level carried bysaid dial and extending diametrically of the dial and disk.

6. A scriber comprising a body adapted to be supported in an uprightposition, a marker carried by said body and projecting from one, sidethereof, a bearing carried by the upper end of said body and movablefrom a position in which it projects above the upper end of the body toa position in which it projects from a side of the body, and means fordetermining the angular position of thebody relative to a verticalposition carried by said bearing and pivotally mounted for movementtransversely of the bearing and body.

'7. A scriber comprising a body adapted to be supported in an uprightposition, a marker carried by said body and adjustable longitudinallythereof, a bearing pivoted to said body for adjustment from a positionin which it extends above the upper end of the body to a position inwhich it projects from a side of the body, a mounting carried by saidbearing and pivotally mounted for movement transversely of the bearingand body from a position transversely of the body to a positionsubstantially parallel thereto, and means for determining the angularposition of said body relative to a vertical position'carried by saidmounting and mounted for turning movement to adjusted positions.

8. A scriber comprising a body adapted to be supported in an uprightposition, a marker carried by said body and adjustable longitudinallythereof, a bearing bracket pivoted to said body for adjustment from aposition in which it projects above the upper end of the body to aposition in which it projects from a side of the body, a mountingpivoted to said bracket for movement from a position transversely of thebody to a position substantially parallel thereto, said mounting havinga member adapted to pass through the bracket and the body and hold thebracket in an adjusted position, and means for determining the angularposition of said body relative to a vertical position carried by saidmounting.

FRED J. ZIMOWSKE.

